Chapter VIII ORGANIZATION OF THE SESSION A. Opening and duration of the session 1. The Commission on the Status of Women held its thirty-eighth session at United Nations Headquarters from 7 to 18 March 1994. The Commission held 18 meetings and a number of informal meetings as a Working Group of the Whole. 2. The session was opened by the Under-Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development. In his statement he emphasized the importance of the thirty-eighth session of the Commission as well as the preparations for the Conference in Beijing for sustainable development and for the implementation of Agenda 21, 45/ and the achievement of the goals of the forthcoming World Summit for Social Development. He also addressed the role of women in development as both agents and beneficiaries, as well as the interrelationship of sustainable development with social issues, environment and the participation of women in society. He further stressed the negative consequences of prevailing gender inequality, poverty, violence against women, women’s unpaid labour in the household, and lack of equal access to education, resources and decision-making for the harmonious development of societies. B. Attendance 3. The session was attended by representatives of 44 States members of the Commission. Observers for other States Members of the United Nations and for non-member States, representatives of organizations of the United Nations system and observers for intergovernmental, non-governmental and other organizations also attended. A list of participants is contained in annex I to the present report. C. Election of officers 4. At the 1st and 6th meetings, on 7 and 9 March 1994, the Commission elected the following officers by acclamation: Chairperson: Patricia Licuanan (Philippines) Vice-Chairpersons: Rapporteur: Natalia Drozd (Belarus) Irene Freudenschuss-Reichl (Austria) Olga Pellicer (Mexico) Djénébou Kaba (Côte d’Ivoire) 45/ Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June 1992 (A/CONF.151/26/Rev.1 (Vol. I, Vol. I/Corr.1, Vol. II, Vol. III and Vol. III/Corr.1)) (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda), vol. I: Resolutions adopted by the Conference, resolution 1, annex II. -96-